Back to Boston
by degrassichick
Summary: When Maddie calls 23 year old London back to Boston for a charity event, London is surprised to discover that there is another event going on at the Tipton. An event that brings London facetoface with the love she thought she had lost...and his fianceé
1. Your Fianceé is Barron Hilton?

**Hey Readers! Yes, yes, I know I really need to update my Life with Derek story, I am SO SORRY! But, I have this huge writer's block on it!**

**Anyways, the episode "Cookin' with Romeo & Juliet" was on TV today and after it was over, this idea just screamed out at me…so I had to write it. Lol**

**Let me know how you like it and if I should continue.**

**R&R and please, no flames!**

**Lotsa love,**

**degrassichick**

**-x-**

**1**

-x-

"Maddie, relax. I'll be there!" 23-year-old London Tipton explains to her best friend on her Sidekick. The loud sounds of rushing New York City traffic blared around her as she tried her best to speak.

"This charity is huge, London." Maddie reminds her.

"I know!" she says, holding up a hand in front of a taxi and running across the street, her stiletto boots clacking against the road.

She's in her final year of NYU, people were still in disbelief that London Tipton had even gotten accepted, but she had.

"I'll pick you up at the airport tomorrow night around six, okay?" Maddie asks.

London nods, even though Maddie can't see her as she lands on the other side of the street and starts hurrying down the sidewalk at a fast pace, "Yeah, yeah, okay. I'll see you tomorrow night. Ciao bella!" she says cheerfully and hangs up her phone, dropping it into her Prada bag.

"Excuse me." She says quickly, brushing past a man in a pressed suit and a woman with graying hair.

After dodging various amounts of people, she arrives in front of her destination.

**Abbey Road Music Surplus**

Smiling to herself, she steps inside and glances around until she spots him leaning against the counter.

"What's up Zachary?" she asks jokingly, leaning against the counter with her elbows propped on it.

Zach turns around and shoots one of his oldest friends a sheepish grin, "'Sup Tipton?"

Over the years, Zach Martin had _definitely_ grown up into a good looking 20-year-old. His golden blonde hair was now trimmed shorter, with gelled-up edges. His Californian skin had slightly faded, making him be a very pale tan and his blue eyes were as sparkly as ever, a light dash of freckles sprinkled across his nose. The chubbiness in his cheeks had worn down and his face was now longer and leaner and the pearly-white smile he held on his lips matched his look perfectly.

"What brings you to this-here neck of the woods?" he asks, and laughs upon the question. Every day after (or before) classes, London would head over to Abbey Road and talk to Zach, they had become good friends after he had called her two years before and announced that he would be going to college at the Manhattan School of Music. They now spoke almost everyday. Cody was at Stanford, all the way across the country. The pair rarely saw each other, mainly just on holidays and long vacations.

"Are you heading back to Boston for Maddie's charity thing tomorrow?" London asks, and Zach's ears redden. He hadn't been back in the Boston area since graduation, Cary would always visit him or the two of them would fly out to California to visit Zach. Last he heard, Maddie was still with Trevor, and he wasn't sure if he could handle seeing them together. Although he acted like he was over Maddie, he had never gotten over her.

London notices the dopey expression playing on her friend's face and winces, "Taking that as a no…"

Zach shrugs, "You want company on the flight?" he asks and laughs.

London flashes him a grin, "You read my mind."

Maybe seeing Maddie isn't really that bad of an idea…

-x-

"This was a bad idea." Zach announces as they step off of the plane the next day.

London shoots her friend a blank expression, "Zach, you've got to be kidding me. It's _Maddie_!"

"Precisely!" he fires back, throwing his hands up in the air animatedly.

London rolls her eyes and glances forward, making her way through the crowd of the Boston Logan Airport, which isn't near as bad as even a simple Starbucks in NYC.

She finally spots a white marker board with her name written on it in larger, green writing.

"There's Maddie." She says and latches onto Zach's wrist, hauling him along behind her.

Zach sighs and looks forward, his heart dropping to the pit of his stomach upon seeing Madelyn Fitzpatrick.

She is wearing a simple, faded Sesame Street shirt with a pair of jeans, a strip of skin between the bottom of the tee shirt and the top of the jeans. Her long, blonde hair is hanging wildly to mid-chest and there is a bright red headband on the top of her head and a large grin on her face, "London!" she exclaims and drops the board, hurrying towards London and throwing her arms around her into a tight hug.

London grins, hugging her back before they release one another and Maddie looks towards the 6" boy behind her.

"No way…" Maddie says, shaking her head in disbelief, "Zach?"

Zach smiles at her bashfully, "Hey Maddie." He feels like he has warped into his dorky, thirteen-year-old self all over again upon seeing her.

She makes her way over towards him and pulls him into a hug, her naturally 5'7" (5'10" with the red, polka-dotted wedges she was wearing) frame fitting against his perfectly, "It's good to see you after two years." She says with a laugh.

"Yeah," he chokes out, hugging her back, "you too."

She breaks apart from him and nudges her head back towards the large glass doors, "Trevor is waiting outside with the Jeep, let's go." She says, smiling.

Zach's heart sinks. She's still with _him_.

"You let him drive a _Jeep_?" London asks, surprised.

Maddie smirks as the three of them make their way outside into the warm, Boston weather, "Its hybrid."

-x-

"Moseby, you really didn't have to keep my suite for me." London says as Mr. Moseby ushers her into her room.

"Oh, nonsense London." He says happily.

She turns towards him and smiles, giving him a quick hug, "So, are you excited for Maddie's charity?"

Moseby shrugs, smiling, "It gives us more business. I really have no room to complain."

London nods, "I guess you're right." She takes a seat on her plush couch and glances towards him, "What is it for, anyway?"

"Poverty, did you know Maddie is adopting a little boy from Austria?"

London's eyes widen, "No way, she's adopting a kid who probably has a pet kangaroo?"

Moseby shoots her a crooked expression, before laughing; same old London.

"Anyways," he continues, "the benefit is sponsored by the National Dentistry Association of America and, of course, Trevor's father."

London gives Mr. Moseby a puzzled expression, "Why are dentists sponsoring it?"

"Well, do you remember the convention we had here back when you were around fifteen?" he asks, knowing very well that she has to remember it.

London nods, "Yeah." She didn't remember much of it, only one thing, really. Todd St. Marks, her first true love, whom she hadn't spoken to since he had gone off to dentistry school eight years before.

"Well, the Tipton is hosting it yet again." He announces, "Eat _that_, Ilsa." He mutters darkly afterwards.

London laughs at his angry tone. If there was any person in the world that Mr. Marion Moseby hated; it was Ilsa Von—whatever her last name is.

"Anyways, that will be tomorrow. So, all the dentists are arriving tonight with their families, causing more business for the Tipton, which means that they will all be at Madelyn's benefit. Therefore, everyone wins." He says, laughing.

London nods, smirking at him, a strand of her pitch black hair falling across her brown eyes, "That's great, Moseby."

"The benefit starts at eight; shall I be seeing you then?" Mr. Moseby asks, making his way towards the door.

London nods again, leaning against the couch and crossing one leg over the other, "You shall."

After retiring out of the room, London shoots up from the couch.

The benefit starts at eight and she only has an hour and ten minutes to get ready. It's time to haul ass.

-x-

"Thank you to everyone for coming!" Maddie announces loudly, "Now remember, there are donation boxes scattered all across the ballroom! If you have any canned food, please deposit it into the marked boxes. Again, thank you! Every little thing counts!" she says with a smile before making her way down the podium and leaning into Trevor, who pecks her softly on the forehead.

"You did great, baby." He says, smiling down at her.

Maddie laughs, "Thanks." His arm slips around her waist and they make their way over towards Esteban, striking up a conversation with him, leaving behind a very distraught, verygreen-eyed Zach Martin.

"You doing okay, Zach?" London asks with a laugh, coming over towards him.

Zach shrugs, "I'm fine." He says bitterly before glancing at her, "You look great, London." He says, smiling.

London glances down at her outfit, a long, teal baby-doll tank and a pair of black gauchos that cascaded right to her knees and a pair of black stilettos with teal trim. "Thanks." She says, smiling towards him, "You're not looking too shabby yourself." She nudges him with her shoulder.

He gives his outfit a small look and shrugs, "Thanks." He mumbles, looking towards Maddie as if in a trance, "_She_ didn't notice."

London sighs, "I'm sure she's too busy tonight to even _notice_ what some people are wearing."

Zach scoffs, "Nope. She's only told Trevor how _amazing_ his Armani suit looks about, I don't know, _twelve_ times tonight?" He shakes his head towards the 25-year-old in disbelief, "He's way too overdressed anyways, _Nobody_ else here is in a suit."

London glances around, not bothering to mention to Zach just how many dentists were running around in pressed Armani or Versace suits. He looks too upset as it is.

"Don't worry, Zach." She says. It's not much, but it's honestly the best she can come up with.

Zach shrugs, "I'm going to head over and talk to Arwin, after all these years he _still_ hasn't gotten my mom, I now know how he feels."

London gives him a sympathetic smile as he walks away and sighs.

"Excuse me." A woman's voice says from behind her.

London turns around and is face to face with a girl who is runway-model gorgeous. She has long, beach blonde hair and a perfect tan, sparkling green eyes, perfectly shaped eyebrows, and a gorgeous smile.

"Hi…" London says, giving her a confused smile.

She gives her a smile in return, "My name is Bailey, and I just wanted to tell you that I absolutely _adore_ your outfit. Where did you get your top?"

London smiles happily, "Thanks, you're sweet. I got it at this great shop in New York City called Maydays. It's a self-owned shop; it's the only one around. Their outfits are idyllic, though."

Bailey tilts her head up for a moment, "Huh…" she says, before shooting another smile, "Well, it's gorgeous."

"Thanks." London says, smiling, "I'm London by the way."

Bailey's eyes widen and she glances around the hotel, pointing at a various spot on the ceiling, "_This_ London?"

London nods, "Tipton."

Bailey's jaw drops, "Oh my God! Hi!" she says cheerfully, in an almost laughing tone, "Wow. I used to read about you in tabloids and magazines all the _time_! That article you did for Seventeen, was amazing. I absolutely _loved_ your cover shot…as dorky as it sounds, I have it framed."

London's jaw drops, "Seriously?"

Bailey nods, laughing, "Yeah! But, don't tell my fiancée." She says quietly, "He would probably drool all over you and then I'd never see him again."

London gives her a confused smile, and laughs, "Your secret's safe."

"So are you dating one of the dentists or do you live here or what?" Bailey asks, obviously signaling as to why London Tipton would ever be at a charity event for poverty, when she is so obviously the complete opposite.

"My best friend, Maddie, is hosting it." She says, gesturing to the blonde girl off in the distance behind her.

"Oh…" Bailey says in understanding.

"Are you a dentist or dating a dentist or are you all for helping the poverty?"

Bailey laughs, "I'm the last two. I'm a definite charity person, and my fiancée is a dentist."

"Ah…" London says, smiling.

Bailey leans in closer towards London and smiles sheepishly, "Of course, his dad nearly had a conniption fit when he found out we were coming to this thing."

London gives her a puzzled expression, "Why? Is he anti-poverty or anti-dentists or what?"

Bailey winces, "Sorry about this, but anti-Tipton."

London gives her a puzzled expression, "Your fiancée is Barron Hilton?" she asks confusingly. She had gone on a grand total of three dates with Barron, and he was _completely_ self-absorbed.

Bailey shakes her head, "Todd St. Marks. His dad owns the hotel across the street, but of course, I'm sure you know that…" she says, laughing.

London's heart temporarily stops beating.

It can't be possible, it honestly can't be possible.

Todd…is _here_?

…and _engaged_?

"Oh…" London says, quietly, her smile fading into one that is nearly visible and obviously forced, "Oh."

-x-

…**what'd you think?**

**I know, I know, I really need to update on Life withOUT Derek, but this episode was on TV today and I _had _to write a fan fiction about it!**

**R&R and please, no flames!**

**Lotsa love,**

**degrassichick**


	2. Zach Gets Poetic

**Hey everybody! Thanks so much for the comments, you guys rock!**

**Anyways, here is Chapter 2…enjoy!**

**R&R and please, no flames!**

**Lotsa love,**

**degrassichick**

**-x-**

**2**

**-x-**

London's heart flutters angrily in her chest. Todd is engaged. _Her_ Todd! …the Todd that she had cried herself to sleep over, the Todd that she had experienced her first kiss with, her first love.

"When did you two meet?" London blurts out.

Bailey smiles, as if she's told the story a million and one times and loves it more with each passing day, "Well, we met in Zurich. He was there for dental school, and I was there for my year abroad. We both wound up in this under-21 club and he looked over at me and smiled, that was all it took, and I was in."

London tries to stop her lips from pursing. She can't blow up at Bailey, Bailey's practically innocent! She has no idea about Todd and London's history…unless, of course, he told.

"How old you were you?" London asks.

"I was 19 and he was 20, we started talking that night and we've talked every night since." She says, flashing a tooth-paste-ad perfect smile.

Bailey glances back around the room and points towards the open door at the entrance to the ballroom, "He's out in the lobby talking to some people. Do you want me to go get him so you two can meet?"

London shakes her head rapidly, not even looking in the direction that Bailey is pointing. She knows that just looking at him will make her convert back into the love-struck, fifteen-year-old girl that she was back when she had first met Todd, "That's alright. You know the St. Marks and the Tipton's…they really don't see eye-to-eye on anything." She begins to back away from Bailey soon-to-be St. Marks, "It was great meeting you, though, Bailey." She says, giving her a false smile before turning and hurrying off towards Zach, who is flailing his arms animatedly at Arwin.

"Arwin, _no_. For the fifth time I will _not_ let you clone my mom to use for practice on asking her out!" Zach exclaims loudly, "You have tried for almost _ten_ years to get her to fall in love with you and she still hasn't. Let it go, man. Let it go."

Arwin shakes his head at Zach, "Not until she is mine."

Zach places his hand over his forehead, "Oh dear God." He mutters before turning towards London, "Hey!"

She gives him a tight smile, "Hey."

"What's up?" he asks, noticing the pained expression on her face.

Arwin leans in, trying to hear what London is getting ready to say. The pair turns to look at him, blank expressions on their face.

"Arwin, could you not?" Zach asks.

Arwin gives him a dutiful nod, "Sure, sure. I'll just go talk to…" he glances around the room, trying to spot a familiar face, "Oh _Esteban_…" he says, making his way towards the bellboy.

"Stay away from me, Arwin!" Esteban exclaims, and Zach chuckles to himself before looking back at his friend.

"What's going on?" he asks.

London shakes her head, running a hand through her long hair, "Nothing, this party just really sucks right now."

Zach raises an eyebrow, "Why?"

Taking in a deep breath, London rubs her hands together, "Somebody is here who I haven't seen in a really long time."

"Who?" Zach asks before beginning to read the expression on her face, "_Oh_…Todd?"

London nods sadly.

His eyes widen, "Seriously? That's great, London!"

London tilts her head and raises her eyebrows at him, shooting him an "are-you-serious?" expression.

"Or…not?"

"Not." London replies, "Definitely not. The only reason I know he's here is because I met his fiancé."

Zach's expression falls, "Oh my God. I'm so sorry, London."

London shakes her head, giving him a posed smile, "Its fine. I haven't seen him in eight years anyway, it's not like I should have even been expecting for him to actually _wait_ for me." She glances down at the floor before looking back up at the boy who had slowly turned into one of her most trustworthy, closest friends, "Anyways, I think I'm just going to head back up to me suite, completely drown my stomach in wine."

Zach smirks at her, "That'll settle well."

London laughs slightly, "Yay hangovers." She says before smiling at him, "I'll see you tomorrow." She says before making her way towards Maddie to tell her she was leaving.

"So soon?" Maddie asks sadly, eyeing her best friend in confusion.

"It's a long story." London says, raking a hand through her hair, "If you want, come up to my suite later on tonight and I'll tell you, okay?"

Maddie nods, smiling sadly, "Okay." She says before pulling her into a hug, "I'll be there around midnight or so."

London nods, "See you then." She turns towards Maddie's boyfriend, "See you, Trevor."

Trevor gives her a weak smile, "Bye London."

London quickly advances out of the ballroom, brushing a tear that is threatening to escape away from her eye.

She can't believe what is happening. This evening turned out so simple and within twenty-five minutes it was all shot to hell. Trevor's here with his drop-dead-gorgeous fiancé, and she is here with her best friend who is two years younger than her and works in a record store and _still _in a dopey-love-trance with his crush from Jr. High.

She begins to make her way up the set of stairs that lead to the elevator, not even bothering to glance at her surroundings, keeping her eyes glued to the bright teal polish on her toenails.

That's when she smacks into something hard.

"I am so sorry!" a male voice exclaims.

"No, no, you're fine." London says absent-mindedly before glancing up at the suspect she crashed into.

Tan skin, dark hair, brown eyes, London recognizes him the moment she looks at him.

It's Todd St. Marks; his hair longer, his shoulders broader, his tan deeper, but it's him.

"I'm sorry…" he says again, brushing off his pressed suit before finally glancing at her. He takes in her look, the long, sleek hair, the vibrant brown eyes, the tan skin, he is suddenly filled with flashbacks of that one magical week in Boston back when he was sixteen-years-old and the girl that he experienced it all with, the girl standing in front of him at this very second, London Tipton.

"London?" he asks, his voice squeaking.

London gives him a weak smile, the tears beginning to press against her eyes once again. Her stomach is over-flooding with butterflies, her heart pounding, her breath caught in her throat, "Hey Todd." She chokes out.

"Oh my God…" he murmurs in disbelief, "How are you?"

London sighs, "Fine, I guess. How are you?"

Todd smiles, nodding his head. "I'm doing pretty well! I just graduated from Zurich, and I'm opening up my own dental practice."

London smiles, almost genuinely. Opening his own dental practice had been Todd's dream, and it came true. "Wow, Todd, that's great."

Todd nods, "And you? Planning on taking over the Tipton eventually?"

London scoffs, "Definitely not. I'm at NYU right now, actually; it's my final year."

Todd grins, "Wow, that's great! What's your major?"

London shrugs, giving him a small smirk, "Fashion, obviously. I _am_ London Tipton, after all."

Todd laughs, smiling at her, "Yep. You are."

"Todd!" a cheerful voice cries out, "There you are!"

London turns around and sees Bailey hurrying towards them.

"Baby, I've been looking all over for you!" she says, smiling.

Todd shrugs, "Sorry, I got caught up in some conversations."

Bailey nods before glancing over at London and sending her a puzzled expression, "Well, I guess you two have met." She says with a laugh.

"Oh…" London says, glancing at the two, "yeah…"

Todd gives London a worried expression before looking towards Bailey and smiling, "London, this is Bailey…my fiancé." He slips an arm around Bailey's extra petite waist.

"Yeah…" London says, nodding, "We met back in the ballroom."

Bailey grins, laughing, "I absolutely _adored_ London's outfit and just had to comment on it!" she says gleefully, before a confused expression crosses her face. She glances from Todd to London and back again, "Wait…you two know each other?"

London sighs, "We met back in high school." She says briskly, "Dental convention, go figure." She says, giving a very small, hardly audible laugh.

Todd glances down at the red carpeting on the steps.

"Anyways," London says, glancing down quickly before looking back up in the pair, trying to avoid eye contact with Todd, "I better get back up to my suite. Bailey, it was nice to meet you, and Todd…" she glances up at him, and his eyes lock with hers, neither breaking the gaze, "it was nice to see you again." She chokes out as best as she can without sounding completely heartbroken. After giving them one last, very forced smile, she makes her way towards the elevator and presses the "Up" button.

"Please open now, please open now…" she whispers to herself and the doors open, granting her wish. She looks at it thankfully and steps in, quickly pressing her floor number and letting the doors close out Todd and Bailey.

-x-

"I'll kill him." Maddie declares.

London shakes her head, sniffling, "I'm fine, really."

The pair is sitting up in London's suite; London has just spilled the news about Todd to Maddie, who is _way_ less than happy about it.

"I can't believe him!" she shrieks.

"Maddie, you're shrieking." London notes.

Maddie shakes her head in disbelief, "I just…I just can't even find _one_ reason why he would do this to you. Not _one_."

"Well, we didn't really keep that close of ties after he left, and it's been eight years, and he's been in another _country_, and-"

"London." Maddie cuts her off, "He told you that he _loved_ you. He told you that he would wait for you for those eight years."

London shrugs, "I also told him to make me a morning appointment, which I never did."

Maddie places her hand to her head, "Yes; that is precisely why you two aren't together right now. It's because you forgot to make a morning appointment."

London's head perks up, "See?"

"LONDON!" Maddie exclaims, "I was kidding! He should have waited, London."

London sighs, brushing a hand through her hair, "It's not like I was that loyal to him, either."

Maddie looks towards her, "What?"

London scoffs, "It wasn't even six _months_ after he left and I had already been on dates with that one guy from the delivery truck- Brandon, _Trevor_…" London pauses, "I'm positive there were a few others, but I can't think straight right now."

Maddie shrugs, "Still, you have no idea how mad I am at him."

"Not half as mad as I am." London mumbles.

Maddie glances towards her, "I can imagine."

That's when it happens. It starts with a few sniffles, and a few heavy breaths. It soon turns into a racking fit of sobs, London's body shaking and her sobs overflowing the suite.

"Oh, London!" Maddie exclaims and hurries over to her friend, pulling her into a hug as she sobs onto her shoulder. London hadn't cried on Maddie's shoulder since the night Todd left for Zurich. Maddie had never wanted to see London that upset again.

-x-

"So she's there with Trevor…" Cody confirms over the phone.

"For the twenty-seventh time, _yes_." Zach replies, throwing his hands up in the air frustratingly.

"Twenty-second." Cody mutters quietly in return.

Zach is pacing back and forth in his familiar suite. Carey is downstairs talking to Moseby and Cody had called the moment Zach walked in the door.

"How does she look?" Cody asks.

Zach sighs, leaning against the kitchen cabinet, "Amazing." He breathes.

"Maybe she'll come to her senses and dump him." Cody tosses in, "I wouldn't worry about it."

"Well, I'm not the only one unhappy in love right now." Zach mutters.

"What do you mean?" Cody asks, confused.

"Well, Arwin is here-"

Cody cuts him off, "And still totally in love with Mom, no surprise there. Any others?"

"Yeah…" Zach says, shrugging his shoulders upside down, "London."

"London?" Cody repeats.

Zach pushes himself away from the cabinet and makes his way out of the kitchen, "Yeah."

Cody seems confused, "Why is London unhappy in love?"

"Does the name Todd St. Marks ring a bell?"

Cody gasps, "Todd is there? That's great!" he pauses, realizing what Zach had previously mentioned about people being _un_-happy in love, "But wait…not if there's a _Mrs._ Todd St. Marks…is there?"

"Not yet…she's the _future_ Mrs. Todd St. Marks. London ran into his fiancé in the ballroom."

"Oh my God…" Cody murmurs, "Poor London."

That's when Zach hears it; a very familiar giggle.

He glances towards the clock on the oven, _12:12_ _AM_. The giggle belongs to Maddie.

"Hold on a second…" he says into the phone and sits it down, making his way towards the door and swinging it open.

He wants to slam the door shut the moment he opens it, his heart shattering bit by bit. Maddie is standing across the hallway and a ways down from the Martin's suite. She is pressed up against the wall and Trevor is the one pinning her in, he is murmuring something into her ear.

He sucks in a deep, quivering breath and closes the door behind himself before retreating to the phone and picking it up.

"Cody?" he asks into the phone.

"Yeah?"

"Love is a pain far worse than death."

-x-

**What'd you think?**

**R&R and please, no flames!**

**Lotsa love,**

**degrassichick**


End file.
